NASCAR Driver Statistics - Pocono GoBowling 400

Not all teams announce their weekly race previews'. Here is a list of those teams that do reveal the information in the teams race preview: 

#1- Jamie McMurray - Making his 21st start at Pocono Raceway this weekend, McMurray has completed 3,824 laps of a possible 3932 laps at the “Tricky Triangle”, having led 20 laps.  McMurray has earned four top-10s, has an average start of 17.1 and an average finish of 21.0.  McMurray started from the pole at the 2.5-mile tri-oval in 2005 and his best finish was ninth in 2004 and 2008. 

#2- Brad Keselowski - Keselowski has raced in 7 previous cup races at Pocono earning  1 win in August of 2011, 2 top 5's and 2 top 10's with no DNF's. Brad has led 31 laps at the 2.5 mile track and has an average start of 18.143 and an average finish of 14.714.

#5- Kasey Kahne -  In 19 Sprint Cup starts at Pocono Raceway, Kahne has recorded one win, four top-five finishes and six top-10's. He has two career pole positions at the track and won from the top spot in June 2008 after leading 69 laps. He has completed 98.7 percent of laps attempted and has led 151 laps at the 2.5-mile track.

#9- Marcos Ambrose - Ambrose has 9 Cup starts at Pocono with a best finish of 6th in June of 2009. He has an average start of 16.333 and an average finish of  22.556.

#10-Danica Patrick - The GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway will mark Danica Patrick’s 31st career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and her second at Pocono. She started 30th and finished 29th in the June race at the 2.5-mile triangle.

#14-Tony Stewart - Stewart will make his 30th Cup start at Pocono this weekend. In 29 previous races he has scored 2 poles,2 wins, 12 top 5's,  21 top 10's and only 2 DNF's. Stewart's most recent win was scored in June 0f 2009. He has led 156 laps at the 2.5 mile tri-oval and has an average start of 12.655 and an average finish of 11.034.

#15- Clint Bowyer - Bowyer has 15 Cup starts at Pocono, scoring 1 top 5, 7 top 10's and no DNF's. His best finish of 3rd came in August of 2009. Bowyer has led 91 laps at the track and has an average start of 18.600 and an average finish of 15.133.

#16- Greg Biffle -  Biffle has 21 Sprint Cup career starts at Pocono.  Earlier this season Biffle started 13th and worked his way to a second-place finish at Pocono. In 2010 he earned his only victory at the “tricky triangle,” while his other stats include three top-five and five top-10 finishes.

#17- Ricky Stenhouse Jr - Stenhouse has two ARCA starts at Pocono Raceway including one win in 2008.  Stenhouse made his first Sprint Cup start at the “Tricky Triangle” in June finishing a respectable 26th. 

#18- Kyle Busch - Busch has four top-fives and six top-10s, and has led a total of 63 laps in 17 career points-paying Sprint Cup starts at Pocono. His average Pocono finish is 18.4.

#20- Matt Kenseth -  In 27 Sprint Cup Series career starts at Pocono Raceway, Matt Kenseth has an average finish of 14.7, has completed 5,056 of 5,107 (99.0 percent) career laps, and has led for a total of 54 laps (15 of those laps came in 2012 after the track was repaved.)  Kenseth has earned three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes at the 2.5-mile track.

#22- Joey Logano -  Logano comes in to Pocono this weekend with 9 previous Cup starts to his credit. He has earned 2 poles, 1 win (June of 2010), 1 top 5, 2 top 10's and no DNF's. He has led 93 laps around the Tricky 2.5 triangle ans has an average start of 14.111 and an average finish of 16.556. 

#24- Jeff Gordon - Gordon, who will celebrate his 42nd birthday on Sunday, will make his 42nd start at the 2.5-mile track this weekend. His six victories and 965 laps led are tops at "The Tricky Triangle" while he also has two poles, 18 top-fives and 28 top-10's in his previous 41 starts at the Pennsylvania track. 

#27- Paul Menard -  Menard has 13 starts at Pocono Raceway. His best start of second came in 2011 and best finish of ninth came in 2012. The Wisconsin native has completed 2,265 of 2,328 laps attempted (97.3 percent) at the Pennsylvania track.

#29- Kevin Harvick - Since his first appearance at Pocono Raceway, Harvick has 25 starts to his credit. Throughout the years, the RCR driver has collected five top-five and nine top-10 finishes, holds an average starting position of 19.2 coupled with an average finishing position of 13.9, has completed 96.2 percent (4,528 of 4,707) of the laps contested, with five laps led.

#31- Jeff Burton - This weekend's 400-mile event marks Burton's 40th start at the 2.5-mile facility and 676th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. Burton garnered seven top-five and 17 top-10 finishes at the track, leading 104 laps.

#34- David Ragan - Ragan has 13 career starts at Pocono, with one top-five and two top-15 finishes. His best result was fifth in 2008.

#38- David Gilliland - This week's event will be Gilliland's 15th Sprint Cup Series start at Pocono. He has four straight top-25 finishes over the past two years. His best career finish was 16th (2008).

#39- Ryan Newman - In 23 Sprint Cup starts at Pocono, Newman has one win, eight top-five finishes and 11 top-10s. Additionally, the 35-year-old from South Bend, Ind., has led 182 laps, has an average starting position of 10.3 and an average finish of 12th at the 2.5-mile 
triangle. 

#42- Juan Pablo Montoya - Montoya will be making his 14 NSCS appearance at Pocono Raceway this weekend.  Last year Montoya earned the pole for the spring race.  He has led 53 laps at Pocono.  His best finish at the “Tricky Triangle” came in 2009 when he placed second. His average start is 15.2 and has an average finish of 18.3.  Montoya has one top-five and four top-10 finishes at Pocono.

#43- Aric Almirola - In the June race, Almirola started from the 12th spot and raced in the top-10 and top-15 most of the day. Two on-track incidents in the final 30 laps of the race marred the team back in the field, and he finished 21st. He posted his best finish of 18th-place last August in his second start at the Pennsylvania track. Almirola also has one start in the truck series where he started fifth and finished fourth at the track.

#47- Bobby Labonte - Labonte has three victories at Pocono Raceway. He swept both races in 1999 and also won the race on Sunday, July 29, 2001. In addition, the 2000 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion has five top-five and nine top-10 finishes and has led 89 laps in 41 starts. His average start is 18.854 and his average finish is 20.122.

#48- Jimmie Johnson - Johnson has 23 Cup starts at Pocono and won the June race at the track this year. He has 2 poles, 3 wins, 10 top 5's, 16 top 10's and has never suffered a DNF.  His average start at the track is 8.957 and his average finish is 8.652, top among all NASCAR Cup drivers. He has led 690 laps at the Tricky Triangle. 

#55- Mark Martin - In 53 starts Martin owns seven second-place finishes, 20 top-five finishes and three poles. Pocono, Homestead, Indianapolis, Daytona and Kentucky are the only active tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit where Martin has not won. 

#78- Kurt Busch - Pocono’s 2.5-mile triangular track has been good to Busch over the years. He has claimed two wins at Pocono along with nine top-fives, 13 top-10s and 449 laps led. At the Pocono June race he posted a seventh-place finish.

#88- Dale Earnhardt Jr -  In 27 Sprint Cup starts at Pocono Raceway, Earnhardt has recorded one pole position, six top-five finishes and 10 top-10s. He has completed 97 percent of all the laps he's attempted (4,956 laps of 5,107 total). The 38-year-old driver led laps in both Pocono races in 2012 and has led a total of 151 laps at the 2.5-mile track. Earnhardt has finished inside the top 10 in four of the last five races at Pocono.

#99- Carl Edwards - In 17 starts at the 2.5-mile track, Edwards has two wins, five top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He has an average start of 18.0 and an average finish of 13.5.

- Reported in Team News/Press Release

NASCAR Driver Press Conference Schedule - Pocono

Press Conference Schedule, Pocono

NASCAR schedules driver press conferences at every race weekend event. These normally include the Top 12 drivers in championship points in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, along with other drivers of note. NOTE: The press conferences in the media center will last approximately 15 minutes each and may be viewed at NASCAR.com. Times listed are local time.

Friday, August 2:

10 a.m. – Jeff Burton (No. 31 fxi GutterClear365 Chevrolet), 20th in points (499) – Media Center (team availability)

10:15 a.m. – Ryan Newman (No. 39 Haas Automation 30^th Anniversary Chevrolet), 16^th in points (534)/1 win – Media Center

                                                                                                       

10:30 a.m. – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Planes Chevrolet), 1^st in points (740)/4 wins – Media Center

1:05 p.m. – Tony Stewart (No. 14 GoDaddy Chevrolet), 11^th in points (558)/1 win - #14 hauler (team availability)

1:30 p.m. – Danica Patrick (No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet) - #10 hauler (team availability)

1:45 p.m. – Martin Truex Jr. (No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota), 12^th in points (554)/1 win – Media Center

2 p.m. – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet), 10^th in points (559) – Media Center

2:45 p.m. – Joey Coulter (No. 18 Darrell Gwynn Foundation Toyota in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) – Outside Media Center (defending race champion)(team availability)

Note: Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Redd’s Apple Ale Ford), 13^th in points (553) will be available at the No. 2 hauler following his qualifying lap (qualifying begins Friday at 3:10 p.m.)

Doug Duchardt Named VP and General Manager of Hendrick Motorsports

Doug Duchardt, who joined Hendrick Motorsports as an executive in 2005, has been elevated to the newly created position of executive vice president and general manager, effective immediately. He will report to team owner Rick Hendrick and company president Marshall Carlson.

In his expanded role, Duchardt, 49, will direct all racing operations for Hendrick Motorsports, which fields four cars in the elite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He also will manage technical relationships—encompassing engine leases and chassis purchases—while serving as primary liaison between Hendrick Motorsports and NASCAR’s competition group.

Duchardt’s responsibilities now include oversight of all competition-related personnel and departments, including teams; engines; race car construction (chassis and bodies); research and development; human performance (pit crews); and engineering.

“Doug has led by example from his first day with us,” Hendrick said. “We’re in a competitive and ever-changing industry, and he brings a global view that will be critical to our long-term success. Doug shares the organization’s values, understands the importance of relationships and has helped promote a culture of teamwork and communication. We know those are things he will lean on and grow in the years to come.”

A native of Morton, Ill., Duchardt joined Hendrick Motorsports in February 2005 as vice president of development. In that position, he directed all engine, vehicle engineering, chassis and body operations. He also oversaw the company’s work on the last two generations of Sprint Cup Series race cars, including Hendrick Motorsports’ role as the lead development team for General Motors’ new Chevrolet SS.

During Duchardt’s tenure, Hendrick Motorsports has won 84 Sprint Cup races and five series titles.

“Doug’s capabilities are proven, and he energetically fosters the growth of those around him at Hendrick Motorsports,” Carlson said. “As the competitive landscape continues to evolve, our team will rely heavily on his expertise and broad perspective. In this role, Doug’s leadership can be an even greater benefit to our employees, fans and corporate partners.”

Duchardt joined General Motors as a co-op student with Buick in 1983 and went on to graduate from Missouri University of Science and Technology in 1987 with a mechanical engineering degree. He earned a master’s degree in engineering from Purdue University in 1992 and received an honorary professional degree from Missouri S&T in 2009.

After nearly a decade in various roles with the manufacturer, Duchardt joined General Motors Racing in 1996. In June 2003, he was named director of North American motor sports initiatives, overseeing programs in NASCAR, Grand-Am, American Le Mans, NHRA, IndyCar and other series. During Duchardt’s leadership of GM Racing, the Chevy Monte Carlo garnered five Sprint Cup manufacturer championships.

“I’m honored to work with this incredible team of people,” Duchardt said. “I will continue to focus on giving them the resources and opportunities they need to be successful. We have a winning tradition that all of us want to protect and build on, and I’m lucky to be in a position to contribute to those efforts.”

Longtime Hendrick Motorsports executive Ken Howes will continue to serve as vice president of competition, a role he assumed in January 2005. He will report to Duchardt.

Pocono Raceway History and Notes

At Pocono Raceway:

History
· Opened in 1968 as a three-quarter-mile track, Pocono Raceway held the first race on the 2.5-mile track in 1971.

· The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was in 1974 – won by Richard Petty, Dodge, 115.593 mph, 08/04/1974.

· The 2.5-mile track was repaved during the fall of 2011.

Notebook
· There have been 71 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway, one race from 1974 through 1981, and two per year since.

· 2012 marked the first season the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Pocono were scheduled for 400 miles. Prior to 2012 all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races were 500 miles at Pocono Raceway.

· 314 drivers have competed in at least one NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway; 218 in more than one.

· Ricky Rudd leads the series in starts at Pocono with 55. Terry Labonte leads all active drivers with 54 starts; followed by Mark Martin with 53.

· Buddy Baker won the inaugural Coors Light pole at Pocono in 1974 with a speed of 144.122 mph.

· 39 drivers have Coors Light poles at Pocono, led by Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader with five each; followed by Mark Martin with three.

· Five drivers have won consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono. Bill Elliott holds the record for most consecutive poles at Pocono with three; fall 1984 and both races in 1985.

· Four active drivers have posted consecutive Coors Light poles at Pocono: Mark Martin (fall 1990 and spring 1991), Ken Schrader (1993 sweep), Denny Hamlin (2006 sweep) and Joey Logano (fall 2011 and spring 2012).

· Youngest Pocono pole winner: Joey Logano (8/7/2011 – 21 years, 2 months, 14 days).

· Oldest Pocono pole winner: David Pearson (6/10/1984 – 49 years, 5 months, 19 days).

· 31 different drivers have won at Pocono Raceway, led by Jeff Gordon with six wins.

· Six drivers have posted consecutive wins at Pocono Raceway, including three consecutive by Bobby Allison (1982 sweep and spring 1983) and Tim Richmond (1986 sweep and spring 1987).

· Youngest Pocono winner: Joey Logano (6/10/2012 – 22 years, 0 months, 17 days).

· Oldest Pocono winner: Harry Gant (6/17/1990 – 50 years, 5 months, 7 days).

· Hendrick Motorsports has the most wins at Pocono in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 14: Jeff Gordon (six), Tim Richmond (three), Jimmie Johnson (three), Geoff Bodine (one) and Terry Labonte (one).

· Eight different manufacturers have won in the NSCS at Pocono; led by Chevrolet with 27 victories; followed by Ford with 21.

· 15 of the 71 (21.1%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from the Coors Light pole; the most recent was Jimmie Johnson earlier this season.

· The Coors Light pole position is the most proficient starting position in the field, producing more winners (15) than any other starting position at Pocono Raceway.

· 24 of the 71 (33.8%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from the front row: 15 from the pole and nine from second-place.

· 50 of the 71 (70.4%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a top-10 starting position.

· Five of the 71 (7.0%) NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono have been won from a starting position outside the top 20.

· The deepest in the field that a race winner has started at Pocono was 29th, by Carl Edwards in the spring of 2005.

· Mark Martin leads the series in runner-up finishes at Pocono with seven; followed by Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Richard Petty with five each.

· Mark Martin leads the series in top-five finishes at Pocono with 20; followed by Jeff Gordon with 18.

· Mark Martin leads the series in top-10 finishes at Pocono with 34; followed by Jeff Gordon with 28.

· Denny Hamlin leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average starting position at Pocono with a 6.333.

· Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in average finishing position at Pocono with an 8.652.

· 11 of the 13 active NASCAR Sprint Cup winners at Pocono Raceway participated in at least one or more races before visiting Victory Lane. Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards won at Pocono in their first appearances.

· Terry Labonte competed at Pocono Raceway 17 times before winning in the fall of 2010; the longest span of any the 13 active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winners.

· Among the 13 active NSCS Pocono winners Terry Labonte (17), Greg Biffle (15) and Bobby Labonte (12) all made 10 or more attempts before their first win.

· Mark Martin leads the series among active drivers with the most NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Pocono without visiting Victory Lane at 53; followed by Jeff Burton with 39.

· Since the advent of electronic scoring the closest margin of victory (MOV) in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway was the July 23, 2000 race won by Rusty Wallace over Jeff Burton with a MOV of 0.126 second.

· There have been three NASCAR Sprint Cup races resulting with a green-white-checkered finish at Pocono Raceway (Scheduled No. of Laps/Actual No. of Laps): spring of 2005 (200/201); fall of 2005 (200/203); spring of 2010 (200/204).

· Six of the 71 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Pocono Raceway have been shortened due to weather conditions; the most recent was the event on 8/5/2012.

· Qualifying has been cancelled due to weather conditions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Raceway four times; most recently the fall of 2009.

· Casey Mears (8/1/2004) posted his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light pole at Pocono Raceway.

· One active NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver has posted his first career win at Pocono Raceway: Denny Hamlin (06/11/06).

· Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in laps led at Pocono with 965 laps led in 41 starts.

· Two female drivers have competed at Pocono Raceway in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series: Janet Guthrie and Danica Patrick.

Pocono Raceway Data
Season Race #: 21 of 36 (08-04-13)Track Size: 2.5-miles
Banking/Turn 1: 14 degreesBanking/Turn 2: 8 degrees
Banking/Turn 3: 6 degrees
Frontstretch Length: 3,740 feet
Backstretch Length: 3,055 feet
Shortstretch Length: 1,780 feet
Race Length: 160 laps / 400 miles
Top 12 Driver Rating at Pocono
Denny Hamlin........................... 113.8
Jimmie Johnson........................ 110.0
Kurt Busch............................... 103.8
Jeff Gordon.............................. 100.0
Tony Stewart.............................. 98.8
Carl Edwards.............................. 97.8
Ryan Newman............................ 95.4
Mark Martin................................ 93.1
Matt Kenseth.............................. 90.7
Kevin Harvick............................. 90.2
Kasey Kahne.............................. 89.6
Dale Earnhardt Jr....................... 88.0
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2013 races (17 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway.

Qualifying/Race Data2012 pole winner: Juan Pablo Montoya, Chevrolet, 176.043 mph, 51.124 secs. 8-3-122012 race winner: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 139.249 mph, (01:45:34), 8-5-12
Track qualifying record: Joey Logano, Toyota, 179.598 mph, 50.112 secs. 6-8-12
Track race record: Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 145.384 mph, (03:26:21), 6-12-11

- NASCAR Integrated Marketing Statistics

Goodyear Tire Facts and Notes - Pocono GoBowling 400

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series – Race No. 21 – GoBowling.com 400 
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – Race No. 11 – Camping World 125 
Pocono Raceway (2.5-mile triangle) – Long Pond, Pa. 
Fast Facts for August 2-4, 2013 

Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials (Sprint Cup); 
Goodyear Wrangler Speedway Radials (Camping World Truck) 

Set limits: Sprint Cup: 5 sets for practice/qualifying and 9 sets for the race; 
Camping World Truck: 4 sets for the event 

Number of Tires: Sprint Cup: Left-side – 1,300, Right-side – 1,300; 
Camping World Truck: Left-side – 325, Right-side – 325 

Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-4548; Right-side -- D-4520 

Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 87.4 in. (2,220 mm); Right-side -- 88.3 in. (2,243 mm) 

Technical Inspection Inflation: Left Front -- 26 psi; Left Rear -- 26 psi; 
Right Front -- 36 psi; Right Rear -- 36 psi 

Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front -- 17 psi; Left Rear -- 17 psi; 
Right Front -- 37 psi; Right Rear -- 34 psi 

Notes: This is the same combination of left and right side tires that NASCAR Sprint Cup teams ran at Pocono earlier this season and teams in both of these series ran at the track last season. These teams also ran this right side tire code (D-4520) twice on Phoenix's recently repaved surface in 2012. For 2013, Pocono is the only track on which these tire codes are scheduled to be run. As on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners on all four tire positions at Pocono. Air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.

NASCAR This Week on ESPN

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Pocono Live on ESPN

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series moves to the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania this weekend and ESPN will have a live telecast of the 400-mile race on Sunday, Aug. 4. NASCAR Countdown airs at noon with the race’s green flag at 1:18 p.m. ET. All NASCAR programming on ESPN networks is also available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.

Announcers:

Booth: Lap-by-Lap announcer Allen Bestwick; analysts Dale Jarrett, Andy Petree.

Pit reporters: Dave Burns, Jamie Little, Dr. Jerry Punch, Vince Welch.

NASCAR Countdown: Nicole Briscoe (host); Rusty Wallace; Brad Daugherty, Ray Evernham (analysts).

 

NASCAR Nationwide Series in Prime Time Saturday Night

The NASCAR Nationwide Series races under the lights in prime time at Iowa Speedway in Newton, Iowa, on Saturday night, Aug. 3, and ESPN will have a live telecast. NASCAR Countdown airs at 7:30 p.m. ET with the race’s green flag at 8:15 p.m. All NASCAR programming on ESPN networks is also available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app.

Announcers:

Booth: Lap-by-Lap announcer Marty Reid; analyst Ricky Craven.

Pit reporters: Shannon Spake, Rick DeBruhl, Jim Noble.

NASCAR Now Schedule

ESPN2’s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now will preview the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway in the one-hour edition airing Sunday, Aug. 4, at 9 a.m. ET. Studio host Todd Grisham will be joined from the track by ESPN NASCAR analyst Dale Jarrett and reporters Marty Smith and Ryan McGee. All NASCAR programming on ESPN2 is also available on computers, smartphones and tablets through WatchESPN and the WatchESPN app. The week’s schedule:

 

Date        Time Show                 Host        Network

Tue., July 30 1 a.m. NASCAR Now Nicole Briscoe       ESPN2

Wed., July 31 1 a.m. NASCAR Now Nicole Brisco         ESPN2

Thur., Aug. 1 1 a.m. NASCAR Now Nicole Briscoe       ESPN2

Fri., Aug. 2 1 a.m. NASCAR Now Nicole Briscoe       ESPN2

Sun., Aug. 4 9 a.m. NASCAR Now Todd Grisham      ESPN2

- ESPN Media Zone 

 

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Post-Race Fast Facts - Indianapolis

Ryan Newman won the 20th Annual Crown Royal Presents The Samuel Deeds 400 at The Brickyard Powered by BigMachineRecords.com, his 17th victory in 424 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. This is his first victory and ninth top-10 finish in 2013. His last victory came at Martinsville on April 1, 2012.This is his first victory and third top-10 finish in 13 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.Newman becomes the third driver to win from the Coors Light Pole at Indianapolis, joining Kevin Harvick (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2008).Jimmie Johnson (second) posted his sixth top-10 finish in 12 races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It is his 14th top-10 finish in 2013.Kasey Kahne (third) posted his fifth top-10 finish in ten races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Chevrolet has now won 11 consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson leads the point standings by 75 points over Clint Bowyer. 

Great Clips Extends, Expands With Hendrick Motorsports

With a new three-year commitment, Great Clips Inc. has extended and expanded its sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports and the team’s No. 5 Chevrolet driven by Kasey Kahne in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

The agreement, which covers the 2014, 2015 and 2016 seasons, secures primary sponsorship of the No. 5 Chevrolet SS race cars for 10 events annually. Great Clips, which joined Hendrick Motorsports as a corporate partner in 2012, also will be a major associate sponsor of the No. 5 team throughout each of the next three seasons.

Great Clips will be featured on Kahne’s Chevrolet this weekend at Indianapolis, marking the second of three scheduled primary races for the company in 2013. The world’s largest salon brand also will be the primary sponsor at New Hampshire on Sept. 22.

Kahne, 33, has earned 15 career victories and 26 pole positions in Sprint Cup competition. Driving a No. 5 Great Clips Chevrolet SS, the Enumclaw, Wash., native won March 17 at Bristol, Tenn., and is in contention for his second consecutive Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth since joining Hendrick Motorsports last season.

Great Clips, which has more than 3,000 locations and nearly 30,000 stylists throughout the United States and Canada, has a long history with Kahne. Since 2003, the company has supported his efforts as both a driver and car owner across multiple racing series.

“I’m happy to see Great Clips make a long-term commitment to the No. 5 team,” Kahne said. “I’m thankful for the support they’ve provided throughout my career, and I look forward to representing them for years to come. Bristol was our first Sprint Cup win together, and everyone on the team expects to deliver many more.”

“Disney’s Planes” Star Dane Cook Named Grand Marshal at Pocono

Pocono Raceway announced today Dane Cook, star of the upcoming comedy adventure “Disney’s Planes,” will serve as Grand Marshal for the GoBowling.com 400 on August 4. Additionally, Cook will join Jimmie Johnson, who will drive the No. 48 Lowe’s “Disney’s Planes” Chevrolet SS at “The Tricky Triangle,” at Johnson’s Fan Question-and-Answer session prior to the 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway.

Cook’s duties as Grand Marshal include several meet-and-greets with NASCAR drivers, race fans and media, as well as, giving the command to start engines for the GoBowling.com 400. Cook voices Dusty, a crop duster who dreams of becoming a high-flying aerial racer in “Disney’s Planes,” which debuts in theaters nationwide on Friday, August 9. Additionally, a crop duster reflecting Dusty’s design will perform the flyover prior to the start of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.

Johnson, the most recent Cup Series winner at Pocono, will host a fan-driven, question-and-answer session the morning of Sunday, August 4. This year’s Jimmie Johnson Fan Q&A session will take place at the Lowe’s display, located inside Pocono Raceway’s Fan Fair area. Access pass holders will receive a “Disney’s Planes” Lowe’s Build and Grow car, priority access to Johnson & Cook’s question-and-answer session, a chance to win a Pocono Raceway track piece signed by Johnson and the opportunity to preview the trailer for “Disney’s Planes.” Access Passes for the Jimmie Johnson Q&A are available at $48 for family four-pack or $20 for individuals and are on a first-come, first-serve basis.

A portion of the proceeds from this Jimmie Johnson Fan Q&A will support “Crossing Abilities” of Monroe County. Crossing Abilities, sponsored by Pocono Alliance, a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization is a project comprised of volunteers with a collective vision for making a safe, all-inclusive playground a reality in Monroe County. The future site for this playground will be Mountain View Park, located in Tannersville, PA. For more information about this project, please visit www.crossingabilities.org.

A Sunday ticket is required in order to purchase an access pass. To purchase tickets and/or Jimmie Johnson Fan Q&A passes, please visit www.poconoraceway.com or call 1-800-RACEWAY (1-800-722-3929).

- Pocono Raceway 

The Dale Earnhardt Foundation Legend Leadership Award Winner

On June 11, 2013 Taylor Earnhardt-Putnam presented Kristina Cruise, founder of Promising Pages headquartered in Charlotte, NC., the Dale Earnhardt Foundation’s 2012 Legend Leadership Award. This $7000.00 grant will greatly benefit their on-going educational reading programs and creative “Erma the Book Worm Parties” which instills in children a love for reading and encourages them to dream big and become the best they can possibly be. 

“On behalf of the Dale Earnhardt Foundation I am honored to present this check and trophy to Kristina Cruise and Promising Pages as the winner of the 2012 Legend Leadership Award for her creative way of teaching children to love reading” ----says Taylor Earnhardt-Putnam daughter of Teresa and seven time NASCAR championship winner Dale Earnhardt.

NASCAR Chassis Selections - Indianapolis

Not all teams announce their weekly race chassis'. Here is a list of those teams that do reveal the chassis in the teams race preview: 

#2- Brad Keselowski - The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford team will unload primary chassis: PRS-860 this week at the Brickyard, it's a new chassis. Backup chassis is PRS-838, last raced: Darlington (finished 32nd).

#5- Kasey Kahne - Crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-809 for the Indianapolis race. This is new chassis. Great Clips will adorn the hood of Kahne’s No. 5 Chevrolet SS this weekend at Indianapolis.

#9- Marcos Ambrose - The DEWALT team will race chassis No. 847 this weekend. It was last run at Michigan.

#10-Danica Patrick - This week's Godaddy No. 10 primary chassis No. 10-805 is a new car that has not been used previously. 

#14-Tony Stewart - Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chassis No. 14-707: This car made its first start in May 2012 in the non-points NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. It was an unassuming debut, as Chassis No. 14-707 started ninth and finished a quiet 17th. The car sat idle until late August where it was used for the Labor Day weekend event at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It started strong by qualifying on the pole and took the lead from Greg Biffle on lap two and continued to pace the 43-car field for eight laps. But as the race wore on, Chassis No. 14-707 struggled with its handling, leaving it one lap down in 22nd when the race ended. With 2013 Chevrolet SS bodywork covering it, Chassis No. 14-707 was tested March 7 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and April 11 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The Brickyard 400 will mark the car’s first start of 2013, its second points-paying start and its third overall.

#15- Clint Bowyer -  Primary Chassis No. 777 is new to the MWR fleet.  Backup chassis No. 724 has served as a backup all season, but not raced. 

#16- Greg Biffle - The No. 16 3M Safety Ford Fusion primary chassis RK-859 is a brand new chassis for the 16 3M team. Backup Chassis: RK-817  Last ran Michigan and finished 1st.

#17- Ricky Stenhouse Jr - The No. 17 Ford Ecoboost Fusion primary chassis RK-860 is a new chassis for the No. 17 team. Backup Chassis: RK-811 - chassis raced numerous times by No. 99 in 2012.

#22- Joey Logano - The No. 22 Shell Pennzoil primary chassis for Indy is  PRS-859, it's a brand new chassis. Backup Chassis is PRS-839, last raced: Darlington (finished 22nd).

#24- Jeff Gordon - The No. 24 Pepsi Max team will unload HMS chassis 24-812 this week for the Brickyard. It's a brand new chassis for Jeff Gordon.

#27- Paul Menard - This Week's Duracell/Menards Chevrolet ... Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 428 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This No. 27 Chevrolet SS is a new addition to the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable and will turn its first laps in practice on Friday.

#29- Kevin Harvick - This Week's Jimmy John's Chevrolet SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... Kevin Harvick will pilot chassis No. 429 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This Chevrolet is new to the No. 29 team lineup and will turn its first competitive laps this weekend at the 2.5-mile oval. 

#31- Jeff Burton - This Weekend's No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway ... Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 426 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This No. 31 Chevrolet was utilized earlier this season at Michigan International Speedway in June where Burton earned a 10th-place finish.

#33- Austin Dillon - This Week’s Mycogen Seeds Chevrolet SS at Indianapolis Motor Speedway … Austin Dillon will pilot chassis No. 418 in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Dillon drove this Chevrolet SS to an 11th-place finish at Michigan International Speedway in June. This former No. 27 entry was also driven by teammate Paul Menard to a 13th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May and a 17th-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in April.

#39- Ryan Newman - Chassis No. 39-733: A workhorse of the No. 39 fleet, Chassis No. 39-733 debuted at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July 2012, when Newman recorded a seventh-place finish. The crew turned the car around in just a couple of days and took it to Pocono Raceway, where it finished sixth. Two weeks later, the chassis was back on track at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, where it finished eighth. The chassis earned its first top-five finish at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. The chassis next raced three weeks later at Dover International Speedway. The chassis made its last start of 2012 at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City in October, when Newman was involved in an incident that forced him to retire from the event prematurely. Chassis No. 39-733 was outfitted with a new front clip and a Chevrolet SS body over the off season, and saw its first laps of 2013 at Kansas in April, when Newman finished 14th. He then raced this Chevrolet SS to a 10th place finish at Darlington Raceway in May. Newman again raced Chassis 39-733 at Pocono in June, where he recorded a fifth-place finish. Most recently, Newman was in contention to score another top-10 finish with Chassis 39-733 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta last month, but a late-race restart saw him shuffled to 14th when the checkered flag waved.

#43- Aric Almirola - The No. 43 Ekrich Ford Fusion team will race the chassis No. 850 this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s the same used at Martinsville earlier this year.

#48- Jimmie Johnson - Johnson will drive No. 48 Lowes/Kobalt Tools black chassis No. 728 at Indianapolis. Chassis No. 797 serves as the backup. No. 728 has raced 4 times in 2013, most recently winning at Pocono from the pole.  The car also raced 6 times in 2012, winning at Indy and Dover in June.

#88- Dale Earnhardt Jr - Crew chief Steve Letarte and the No. 88 National Guard team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-810 this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is a new chassis.

#99- Carl Edwards - The No. 99 Blue Team will unload RK – 861 which is a new chassis for the 2013 season. The backup car is RK- 826 which last ran in Texas where Edwards landed a third place finish in the Fastenal Ford. Fastenal will return as the primary sponsor of the No. 99 Ford, with supplier brands Metabo, JET, Norton and Rust-Oleum on the hood, TV panel, deck lid and B-post.  

- Reported in Team News/Press Releases

Goodyear Tire Facts and Notes - Indianapolis Motor Speedway

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series -- Race No. 20 – Brickyard 400
NASCAR Nationwide Series -- Race No. 19 – Indiana 250 

Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile oval)

Fast Facts for July 26-28, 2013 

Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials:

Set limits: Sprint Cup - 6 sets for practice/qualifying and 10 sets for the race.      Nationwide -  7 sets for the event
                      
Number of Tires: Sprint Cup - Left-side -- 1,450, Right-side -- 1,450
                                    Nationwide -  Left-side 575, Right-side -- 575

Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-4592; Right-side -- D-4476

Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 87.5 in. (2,223 mm); Right-side -- 88.3 in. (2,242 mm)

Technical Inspection Inflation:
Left Front -- 26 psi; Left Rear -- 26 psi;
Right Front -- 36 psi; Right Rear -- 36 psi

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 16 psi; Left Rear -- 16 psi;
Right Front -- 37 psi; Right Rear -- 33 psi

Notes: While teams in both NASCAR series in action at Indianapolis this week will run the same right side tire code (D-4476), they will be on different left side codes. In the Sprint Cup Series, this is the first time teams have run this left side code (D-4592) at Indianapolis, though they did run it at Phoenix earlier this season. Compared to what was run at IMS last season, this tire features a compound change. Cup teams did run this right side code at Indianapolis last season. This tire set-up came out of a Goodyear test at The Brickyard on April 30-May 1. Drivers and teams participating in that test were Trevor Bayne in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford, Kurt Busch in the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet, Jeff Gordon in the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Brad Keselowski in the No. 2 Penske Racing Ford, Mark Martin in the No. 55 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota and Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Stewart Haas Racing Chevrolet. In the Nationwide Series, this is the same combination of left and right side tires they ran at IMS last season. While this right-side tire code is unique to Indianapolis, these teams ran this left-side code at Phoenix twice in 2012. As on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams will run inner liners in all four tire positions at Indianapolis. Air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire.

NASCAR Driver Statistics - Indianapolis

Not all teams announce their weekly race previews'. Here is a list of those teams that do reveal the information in the teams race preview: 

#1- Jamie McMurray -   McMurray has made 10 starts at IMS, earning one win (2010), three top-five and five top-10 finishes.  He has completed 1,580 laps out of a possible 1,601 laps (98.7%).  He has led 43 laps, and has an average starting position of 15.4 and an average finishing position of 14.0. McMurray’s best start was fourth in 2010.

#2- Brad Keselowski - Keselowski has 3 prior Cup starts at the Brickyard and has scored 2 top 10's, most recently finishing 9th last year. He has an average start of 12.667, an average finish of 12.333 and he has led 39 laps.

#5- Kasey Kahne - In nine Cup starts at Indianapolis, Kahne has two top-five finishes and four top-10s, including a runner-up result in 2005. He has qualified in the top 10 six times at the Brickyard. In this event last year, Kahne started 15th and finished 12th.

#9- Marcos Ambrose - Ambrose will be making his sixth start at the 2.5-mile track this weekend. His best finish was 20th on  07/29/2012. He has an average starts of 24.000 and an average finish of 23.800. 

#10-Danica Patrick - The Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway will mark Danica Patrick’s 30th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and her first at Indianapolis.
Patrick competed in the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis last year and finished 35th after being involved in an accident midway through the race.

#14-Tony Stewart - In 14 Cup races at Indianapolis, Stewart has 1 pole, 2 wins, 6 top 5's,10 top 10's and no DNF's. He has led 227 laps and has an average start of 16.714 with an average finish of  8.214.

#15- Clint Bowyer - In 7 previous Cup starts at the Brickyard Boyer has 2 top 5's, 2 top 10's and has led 2 laps with no DNF's. His average start is 20.429 and average finish is 12.286.

#16- Greg Biffle - Biffle has 10 starts at Indy, earning three top-five and six top-10 finishes. His average start at Indy is 15.3 with an average finish of 12.1.

#17- Ricky Stenhouse Jr - Stenhouse has one Nationwide career start at the historical track, earning a ninth-place finish last year. Stenhouse is currently 21st in the point standings; 47 points out of 10th place.

#18- Kyle Busch - The Brickyard 400 will mark Kyle Busch’s 313th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start and his ninth Sprint Cup start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Busch has two top-five finishes and six top-10s, and has led a total of 42 laps in eight career Sprint Cup starts at Indianapolis. His average Indianapolis finish is 11.8.

#20- Matt Kenseth - In 13 Sprint Cup Series career starts at Indianapolis, Matt Kenseth has an average finish of 15.8, has completed 1,878 of 2,081 (90.2 percent) career laps, and has led for a total of 39 laps.  He has earned five top-five and seven top-10 finishes at the historic 2.5-mile track. Kenseth’s best finish at Indianapolis is second which he has earned twice (2003 and 2006).

#22- Joey Logano - Logano has 4 starts at Indyscoring 1 top 10 in July of 2010. His average start spot is 18.750 and average finish is 19.750. 

#24- Jeff Gordon - Gordon, who grew up in nearby Pittsboro, has four victories at the famed speedway including the inaugural event in 1994, plus wins in 1998, 2001 and 2004. He also has three poles, 11 top-fives - five more than any other driver - and 15 top-10's in 19 starts at the Indiana track. Gordon also has led the most, 477 and has the most lead lap finishes at the track with 17.

#27- Paul Menard - Menard has six starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His best start of eighth came in 2012 and his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win came in 2011. The RCR driver has completed 916 of 960 laps attempted (95.4 percent) at the 2.5-mile facility, leading 21 of them.

#29- Kevin Harvick - The 37-year-old driver has competed in 12 events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since his first NASCAR appearance at the track in 2001. Harvick visited Victory Lane in 2003, earned one pole award (2003) and has collected four top-five and seven top-10 finishes at the historic track. The RCR veteran has completed 99.4 percent (1,909 of 1,921) of the laps contested and is credited with 92 laps led. Harvick was also the first driver to win the Brickyard 400 from the pole position and is only one of two Sprint Cup Series drivers who have achieved this accomplishment.

#31- Jeff Burton -  Burton has started every Sprint Cup Series event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and this weekend's Brickyard 400 will mark his 675th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. He has amassed one top-five and five top-10 finishes at the 2.5-mile facility, starting from the pole position in the 2006 event.

#33- Austin Dillon - Dillon will make his first-career Brickyard 400 start on Sunday afternoon, but grew up attending races at the historic track with his grandfather and car owner Richard Childress. Dillon recalls riding in the pace car as a young child and joined the Victory Lane festivities with Paul Menard in 2011 and Kevin Harvick in 2003. As a driver, Dillon participated in the inaugural NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year, posting a fifth-place finish.

#39- Ryan Newman - In 12 Sprint Cup starts at Indianapolis, Newman has one top-five finish and two top-10s. Newman has an average starting position of 7.9 and an average finish of 19.1 at the 2.5-mile oval, and he’s led 14 laps. 

#42- Juan Pablo Montoya -  In his stock car career, Montoya has made six NSCS starts at the famed IMS. He earned the pole in 2010, and in 2007 he scored his career best finish of second.  He has completed 909 of 960 laps, or 93.6 percent. Montoya has led 202 laps and in the 2009 race he led the most consecutive laps in a single-race, leading from lap 34-92.  He has an average start of 6.2 with an average finish of 22.2.

#43- Aric Almirola - Almirola has just one start at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He started fourth in his first Brickyard 400 but battled an ill-handling car to finish 19th. Veteran Crew Chief Todd Parrott started the NASCAR tradition of kissing the bricks following his first win at the iconic speedway in 1996 with Dale Jarrett behind the wheel. Jarrett earned a second win for Parrott in 1999. In his 15 starts as a crew chief, Parrott has tallied four top-fives, six top-10s and one pole (2005), showing he knows how to get around the 2.5-mile track.

#47- Bobby Labonte - 2000 was a pretty good year for Bobby Labonte. He won the prestigious Brickyard 400 (8/5/00) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In addition to kissing the bricks, Labonte has four top-five and five top-10 finishes in 19 starts at IMS. His average start is 22.263 and his average finish is 17.474.

#48- Jimmie Johnson - Indianapolis Motor Speedway Notes of Interest:  Four wins (July 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012). Four top-five finishes (36.4 percent) and five top-10s (45.5 percent) in 11 starts. One pole (2008). Average start of 13.5 and average finish of 16.8.  Completed 1,571 of 1,761 laps (89.2 percent) and led 229. Sprint Cup’s best driver rating (106.3 average of a possible 150 points). Sprint Cup’s best in fastest laps run (144). Sprint Cup’s best average green-flag speed (170.173 mph)

#55- Mark Martin - Martin has finished in the top 11 in all but five of the 19 Brickyard races. He’s finished second twice, posted six top-five finishes, led 67 laps and won the pole in 2009. Martin along with Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Jeff Burton are the only drivers who have raced in all 19 Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis.  Only Jimmie Johnson (106.3) and Tony Stewart (102.8) own a higher driver rating at Indianapolis than Martin’s 102.5 rating. He owns a Series-high 1,067 Laps in the Top 15 (83.4%) 

#88- Dale Earnhardt Jr -  In 13 Sprint Cup starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Earnhardt has recorded three top-10 finishes and led 61 laps. In five of those races, Earnhardt lined up sixth or better for the historic event. He scored his best finish -- fourth-place -- at the 2.5-mile oval last season. According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Earnhardt ranks eighth among all drivers in the laps led category during the past eight Indianapolis races. The 38-year-old driver has led 48 of the 1,280 laps run during that time frame.

#99- Carl Edwards - Edwards will make his ninth Cup start at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend.  In his previous starts, Edwards has one top-five and three top-10 finishes. His average start is 22 and his average finish is 13.2.  Edwards captured his best start (second) last year and best finish (second) at the Brickyard in 2008.

- Reported in Team News/Press Release